Apparatus for effecting the fecundation of plants



Dec, 25, 1956 J. w. cHEPu. ETAL APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE FECUNDATION0F PLANTS Filed Sept. 9, 1955 A .www

Dec, 25, 1956 J. W. cHEPlL ET AL 2,775,065

APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE FECUNDATION OF PLANTS Filed Sept. 9, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 u IH uw HWWMWWWWWHM @Ummm H 1 INVENTORS WnMAM S. C HIP- fBY @Jaun w.CHEp|\.

United States Patentv @ABPARATUSFOR-EFFECTING .ECUN DA- \TION f F5vPLzjlnlIiS J0hnW; Chepil andWilliamSLChepil, Manhattan, Kans.

AApp licationSeptemb er-i9,$1955,fSerialfNo.'533,488

4 Claims. .-(Cl. A17- i) This `invention relates to .apparatus uforeecting the fecundation, of plants, the apparatusbeing ,of the,mobilemachine type 'for'.ytrippingblooms, and more Iparticularly to, r ne ansu sedin connection with this apparatus forcolletingpollen fromthetrippedblooms and distributing the colletedp0lle n.

'lt is the.; principal object of this'invention to vprovide a .mobilernachine for tripping the blooms of'plants, for the fecundation of the'blooms, andimprovement for collecting the pol l e n. from the trippedblooms and distributing the pollen thus collected to the vblooms ofotherlplents overwhich the machine travels.

It is a furtherobjecnof' this invention to provide in a machine of thetype indicated, surface .garces having distinct absorptive,electrostaticproperties,so as tobe able inyaryingdegreesto attract,absorb andihold'large quantities .of pollen .on and .among.the-tilarnents .of 'the .lilamentous. material' along the surfaceareas' but With the pollengrains therein .not being; held so .tightly.that .they cannot .become .detached from .the filaments yby theshaking, beating end rubbingaction.ofthe Nenes upon which ,the .sur aceE.areas are. mounted .and essistedin becoming detacherl. from'..tliesurtace areasgbyrnbbing action of. arotery Ybrush.fThusgthehlarnents on the surfae. .areas.serve xas.. .areservoir` of Ypollenpicked up. .from the trippetlpmnts `and also Zserve as. a carrier,dispenser .and .distributing vmeans ofltlre pollen collected. ontootherplants, similar .to theimannerin which pollen. is .pickedup,.carried,nnd Iiepositedonliifterent plants .by .tbeihairyborlies oftripping .and crossmollinating insects,- such esibees- .Yet anotherobject .oftthisg invention .istozprovide a mnehineyottlietypeindicated,tacollecting and distributing .meansjforpollen.otplants tripped. bythe machine, which meansisgeffectiveto trente.largefarceotgrowingplants in a shorttime. l

Other .objects -and .advantages will .become .apparent .from n.considerationotthe tollovvingV ,deteiledt description torming the..speei-.ca.tion, and talsenin .conjunction with .the accompanying.drawings, in which:

` Figure 1 is a side elenational View of aplant treating machinewith.the` improvement. of, this. invention employed -inconnection.therewith,fwithgthe rear portion of a prime rnoverfragmentarily shown;

Figure v2 is a view in top plan, pa rtially in section, .taken.substantially. alongline 42-f2 of' Figure l, and looking. in

the .direction ofthearrows; and

Figureis afragmentary cross-sectional View taken rsubstantially alongline 3-3-.of.11`igure lend looking in the .direction of, ,thearrows"1With .continued reference to .the drawings, a prirne .moverszgenerellyindicated at 8 is shown as en .agricultural rincludes links.`v 10 tandJ. 11. extending rearwardly from the rear axle 12 of the tractor andraised andlowered by 2,775,065 Patented Dec. 25, 1956 pression link 17disposedbetween andabove the tension links 10and 11 vand connected atvits forward, end to a valve mechanism 18 which controls the hydraulicmechanism connected to the lift arms 13 and 14 in a manner Well known to.the art. The forward` movement ofthe compression link 17 isresisted bya compression spring in the usual manner, interposed between thefrontend of the link 1 7 and abutmentfixed on the .top portion ,of thetractor rear axle 1 2.

The rear axlelZ of the tractor supported on rear Ldrive wheelsZtl, as`is common in theprime mover tractor of the agricultural type well knownto the art, in more detailed illustration description of the tractor isconsidered unnecessary for thepurposes of the. present disclosure.

.Theplant treating machine: generally indicatedatV 2.1,

is that of Patent No. 2,749,6,64and comprises a'frame, generallyindicatedin Figure 2 at 22, which includesa llat pl at e 23 of,elongated rectangular shape, angle b ars 24; and 25 extendingtransversely across theplate,23 ar 1d beyond the opposite side edgesthereof inspaced parallel relation to .each otherandat substantiallyequal distances from the rni dl eng th locati on ofthe plate, and yanangle' frame bar zconnected to therear ends of the bars'24 a n d 2 5 anddisposed in sQaCed, parallel relationship to the rear e dge of th e plate..23. The opposite or fr0nt ends of the b ars 2.4 and are providedwith typical connectors 27 and 28, by means of.whichthe rear ends of thetensiQn-.linksl and 1 1 of the tractor are pivotally connected to the-front. e nc ls of these ramebars, as clearly shownin Figures land 2.The frame bars 24 andZS carry thereon .an opstanding support `otpyremidel .shape having four legs .diverging `do,Wnv/.ardly- ,andoutwardly .from a .centrally located lugalto whichtherearend of thetractor compression link '17,is pivotally vconnected with theirnplernent lift and. depthcontrolling vmechanisms of the tracto; thusbeing effective to maintain the machine frame .22 in e substantiallyhorizontal position in a .predetermined distance abovethesurfaceof thegroundvv on which the wheels of y the,t r2 lc tor rest.

' A Plurelityof .separator plates .32 eresecured along upper edgesto theframe plate '23 Vand depend therefrom in ,substantially ...uniformly.spaced .apart planes which are perpendiculanto the side edges and facesurfaces of the frameplate with the separator plates extending parallelto the longitudinal axis of the tractor and extending beyond@ theframeplate 23` atopposite .sides l thereof.

T hewidth of the separatorplates 32 is such..that,.wi th the frame p late 23 disposed slightly above the tops of growing plants, the bottomedges of the separator plates will be .disposed neer the ,ground .andsomewhaty below the bloomcerrying portions.. ofthe .plants- .Yanesspfrectangular shape are vertically disposed, oneadjacent the reanend ofeach ofthe separator plates .2,.,.and..eac.h gene ,3.8 .is -connectedalong its. front vedge ,tothe rear edgeof the I,associated separatorplate for swinging movementaboutwa vertical axisas by ahinge formation`39 hav ing z 1n axisperpendicular tothe plane of the machine frame 2 2.These Yanes extendfrom the rear .ends ot.. t l1eseparator plateslsubstantially to the reef crossbar 26 ofthe frame andare swingable abouttheir hinge connections with the,.rear. endsv of the associated separatorplates .toapply a beatingaction to growing plants passingbetween the separator plates as the machine is pulledacross a iield of'growing plants.

A journal pillow blockl 40 is mounted on the top of the fran 1e plate 23at the mid-length location of this plate and nearthe rear. side ,edgethereof and a similar pillow vjournal block `41 is mounted on the rearframe bar 26 at.the .rnidl ength ,location of this framebar. A crankand41 with a crank 43 having a cylindrical roller 44 on its crank pin. Thecrankshaft 42 extends forwardly of the front journal bearing or block 40and is provided at its front end with an elongated socket structure 45which receives the rear portion 46 of a drive shaft 47, the front end ofwhich is connected to the tractor power take-olf connection 48, so thatthe crankshaft is driven by the power take-off connection of theassociated tractor.

An angle iron rib 50 extends along the top edge of each of the vanes 38and is rigidly secured to the corresponding vane and a pin 51 extendsupwardly from each rib 50 and is provided at its upper end with a screwthreaded portion receiving a nut 52. The pins 51 are all located atequal distances from the axes of the corresponding hinge formations 39and a flat actuating bar 54 extends across the top edges of the vanes 38and is provided with apertures spaced apart longitudinally thereof whichreceive the pins 51. When the bar 54 is reciprocated, the vanes 38 willbe swung back and forth or oscillated about their hinge formations withthe corresponding separator plates 32.

A hollow bracket 55 of elongated, rectangular shape, is secured on thebar 54 at the mid-length location of the bar and extends upwardly fromthe actuator bar. The bearing sleeve or roller 44 on the crank pin ofthe crankshaft 42 is disposed in the bracket 55 and, as the crankshaftis rotated, the crank pin of the crankshaft imparts reciprocatingmovement to the actuator bar 54 through the intermediacy of the bracketS. This invention is an improvement in the above described planttreating machine 21, as disclosed in Patent No. 2,749,664 and consistsof a blanket of soft, filamentous material 61 secured by a suitableadhesive to opposite vertical faces of each of the vanes 38 andextending from the pair of vertical edges of each of the vanes, remotefrom the corresponding separator plate 32 carrying the vane, andextending forwardly toward the associated separator plate, is acylindrical brush generally indicated at 62, having thin, flexiblebristles, such as Nylon bristles, fastened to and extending radiallyfrom the central cylinder 64, the bristles being indicated at 63. Thecylindrical brush 62 is mounted on the frame 22 for counter-clockwiserotation about an axis transversely of the frame adjacent the end of thevanes remote from said separator plates, as indicated by the arrow inFigure 1, so that the bristles thereon will engage and scrape across thefilamentous surfaces 61 on the vanes. Also, vanes are provided fordrivingly connecting the vane-driving means with the brush so as toimpart rotary movement to the brush.

For additional effectiveness of cross-pollination, the

bristles 63 are covered with soft-filamentous matter, such as flock,cemented at one of their extremities to the surfaces of the bristles.

The cylinder of the blush 62 is rotatably supported adjacent oppositeends in support arms 66 and 68 adjacent the lower ends of the arms, withthe other ends of the arms depending from opposite ends of a shaft 70rotatably supported adjacent opposite ends at the ends of support plates72 and 74. The opposite ends of the support plates 72 and 74 arepivotally mounted on a shaft 76 parallel to the shaft 70 and disposedforwardly thereof and above the frame plate 23. The shaft 76 issupported adjacent its opposite ends centrally of the bight portion 78of upstanding, inverted U-shaped brackets, generally indicated at 80,and upstandingly secured to the respective frame bars 24 and 25centrally intermediate the ends thereof.

In order to support the plates 72 and 74 at the desired height above theframe plate 23, and consequently the brush 62 at a selected height abovethe ground surface to contact the vanes 38 at a selected position withrespect to the height thereof, there is provided a pair of upstandingposts 82 secured at their lower ends upon the respective frame bars 24and 25 adjacent the rear ends thereof, with the posts 82 being providedwith a vertical row of spaced openings transversely therethrough, asindicated at 84, for the reception therethrough of a bolt 86 whichpasses through a suitably formed aperture of the respective supportplates 72 and 74 so that the support plates can be secured in a selectedone of the openings 84 and thereby adjust the height of the support armsabove the frame plates and frame bars.

Means are also provided for selectively adjusting the `angularinclination of the depending support arms 66 and 68 so that the desireddegree of contact between the bristles 63 of the brush and thefilamentous surfaces 61 on the respective vanes 38 can be accomplished.This means comprises a pair of bracket arms 88 pivotally secured at oneend to opposite ends of the frame bar 26 so that they are mounted formovement in a vertical arcuate path, the path of the bracket arms beingparallel to each other. Each of the bracket arms 88 is provided with arow of longitudinally spaced openings 90 transversely therethrough forthe reception of a bolt 92 through a selected one of the openings andthrough a suitably formed registering opening in the respective ones ofthe support arms 66 and 68, so that the angular inclination of thesupport arms 66 and 68 may be selectively adjusted by the insertion ofthe bolt 92 through a selected one of the openings 90 and thereaftersecured by the usual nut received on the threaded end of the shank ofthe bolt, in the usual manner.

In order to impart rotation to the brush 62, there is provided meansdrivingly connecting the brush to the drive shaft 47 and crank shaft 42which imparts oscillatory movement to the vanes 38. The motiontransmission means just referred to, comprises a pulley wheel 94 xedlysecured upon the crank shaft 42 for rotation therewith, a pulley belt 96trained about the wheel 94 and about a larger pulley Wheel 98 carried onthe shaft 76 centrally intermediate the ends thereof to have rotationimparted thereto and to a smaller pulley wheel 100 connected thereto toone side thereof and rotatably mounted on the shaft 76. The drive belt102 is trained about the pulley wheel 100 and about a larger pulleywheel 104 fixedly mounted on the shaft 70 so that rotation is impartedto the shaft 70 through the pulley Wheel 104 by virtue of itsbelt-driven connection with the wheel 100. Mounted adjacent oppositeends of the shaft 70 are pulley wheels 106 for rotation with the shaft70 and drivingly connected to respective pulley wheels 108 mounted onshaft extensions 110 at opposite ends of the brush cylinder 64 andextending longitudinally outwardly therefrom, by means of a driving beltconnection 112 to thus impart rotation to the brush cylinder 64 and tothe brush 62, and consequently to the bristles 63 extending radiallyoutwardly from the cylinder 64 and extending across the vanes 38, asshown in Figure 2.

As the plant treating machine 21 traverses a field of growing plants,the oscillating vanes 38 beat and rub against the plants and blooms andagainst the portion of bristles 63 and the filaments carried by thebristles. The covering of filamentous material on the vanes 38 willbring the blooms tripped by the oscillatory action of the vanes 38 intomore contact with the soft filaments of the material 61 attached to thevanes and to the bristles 63 of the brush to thereby effect a greaterdegree of cross pollination of plants than was hitherto possible withoutthe coaction of the bristles and filamentous materials.

The filamentous material 61 on the vanes 38 may be a fabric having araised pile on one face thereof, which pile may be hairy, wooly, orvelvet material which might include natural or artificial fibers, suchas mohair, fur, suede, velvet or annel and a smooth, or unnapped side ofthe fabric or material 61 secured to the vanes 38 by use of a suitableadhesive so that the filamentous surface thereof is exposed.

Due to the light surface area offered and distinct absorptive,adsorptive and electrostatic properties, the element of the filamentousmaterial 61 and the fila- 'aanstaan "-mentous -material "onithe-bristles "-'63 Iarefable"in 'varying *degrees to attract, absorb'and ffhold larger l'quantities ofpollen `on and among the` filaments.`But,

'the-'pollen grains are- 'not held so'v tightlyl as to 4preventjtheirbeing detachedfro'nr'the filaments ibythe shaking,

beating and'rubbinggaction ofthe vanes v738 andpbyithe `rubbing andcscraping-'action of'the brush '62. Thus,"'the `filaments serve Vthe'reservoir of gpollenpicked r up from dilferent'plants,'andthey'also'serve as acarrierand distributor'of pollen among andonto otherplants.

It will be understood that. the..beating,.shaking and rubbing action 'ofthe vanes38 an'd'the rubbing vor scraping action offtheibrush\62,^/bothhaving filaments, does surfaces of the vanes and brushes accomplishesthe tripping and distributing action substantially simultaneously sothat as the machine traverses a field of growing plants, considerableamounts of pollen are spread upon the blooms before or at the instantthe blooms are tripped.

In use, cross-pollination by employment of the lamentous covered vanes38 and the brush 62, and also having filaments thereon, is facilitatedby tripping the bloom by action of the vanes 38 so that a comparativelysticky stigma breaks through a sac at the bottom of the standard petalof the bloom, swings toward the upper part of the standard petal, rubsagainst the soft filaments of the filamentous material 61 on the vanesand picks up some foreign pollen, that is, pollen from another plant,carried on the laments; the stigma, as it swings toward the upper partof the standard petal of the bloom that has just been tripped, picks upsome foreign pollen distributed and dispersed in the air by the actionof the vanes 38 and the brushing action thereagainst of the brushes 62;and the stigma, as it finally comes to rest snugly against the upperpart of the standard petal of the tripped bloom, picks up some foreignpollen deposited on the standard petal by the already described actionof the filamentous material 61 on the vanes and the filaments carried bythe bristles of the brush 62.

It is to be understood that the mobile machine 21 may be mounted infront of a tractor, jeep or any other prime mover, instead of in therear as shown and above described, without departing from the spirit andessential characteristics of the invention. In these latter cases themachine may be mounted in a manner similar to. that of a well knownIbulldozer or a loader, and receiving the required rotational motionfrom the power take-off of the prime mover in a manner like that of awell known cutter bar hay mowing attachment.

While there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible tochange and modification within the practicability of the invention andtherefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appendedhereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In a machine for tripping blooms on growing plants comprising a frameadapted to be carried by an associated prime mover, separator platessecured to and depending from said frame and disposed substantially inplanes which are uniformly spaced apart and parallel to each4v"comprising a material having afilame'ntouslsnface carried --bytheoutersurfaces o`f-sa`tid=vanesA with theffilamentous surfaces exposed,Va brush having bristles `extending vradially therefrom mounted on -said:frame for Erotation 'about Aan axis -extendingftransversely of rfsaid4separator plates adjacent the-ends ofthe vanes remote from/saidseparator 1 plates to engage and brush across said afilamentous surfaceson' said vanes, and meansd-rivingly connected between said fvane@driving means 4-and' said-brush to @impart rotary movement tothebrush.

2. In a machine' for trippingbloomson Vgrowingplants Vcomprising aframe/'adaptedI to be `-carried by `an associated'prime-mover,"separatorplates secured to and 'depending from said frame and disposedfsubstantially inf planes which are uniformly spacedapartandv parallel'to each otherv and perpendicular to* theM plane" of said fframe, veachof `-said plates 'having asubstantiallyl vertically"-`dispose'd lrearedge, vanesihingedlyfconnectedatftheir 'front "ends to the rear edges ofsaid separator plates and extending rearwardly one from each separatorplate, power operated means mounted on said frame and drivinglyconnected to said vanes to impart to said vanes oscillating movementsabout the axes of the hinge connections between said vanes and thecorresponding separator plates; the improvement residing in meansforcollecting and dispersing pollen from the tripped blooms, said meanscomprising a material having a filamentous surface carried by the outersurfaces of said vanes with the filamentous surfaces exposed, a brushhaving bristles extendingradially therefrom mounted on said frame forrotation about an axis extending transversely of said separator platesadjacent the ends of the vanes remote from said separator plates toengage and brush across said filamentous surfaces on said vanes, andmeans drivingly connected between said vane driving means and said brushto impart rotary movement to the brush, and means carried by said frameat the end thereof remote from the associated prime mover for movementin parallel arcuate paths at opposite sides of the frame and operativelyconnected to said brush to selectively move the brush toward and awayfrom said vanes.

3. In a machine for tripping blooms on growing plants comprising a frameadapted to be carried by an associated prime mover, separator platessecured to and depending from said frame and disposed substantially inplanes which are uniformly spaced apart and parallel to each other andperpendicular to the plane of said frame, each of said plates having asubstantially vertically disposed rear edge, vanes hingedly connected attheir front ends to the rear edges of said separator plates andextending rearwardly one from each separator plate, power operated meansmounted on said frame and drivingly connected to said vanes to impart tosaid vanes oscillating movements about the axes of the hinge connectionsbetween said vanes and the corresponding separator plates; theimprovement residing in means for collecting and dispersing pollen fromthe tripped blooms, said means comprising a material having afilamentous surface carried by the outer surfaces of said vanes with thefilamentous surfaces exposed, a brush having bristles extending radiallytherefrom mounted on said frame for rotation about an axis extendingtransversely of said separator plates adjacent the ends of the vanesremote from said separator plates to engage and brush across saidfilamentous surfaces on said vanes, and means drivingly connectedbetween said vane driving means and said brush to impart rotary movementto the brush, means carried by said frame and operatively connected tosaid brush driving means for selectively adjusting the height of saidbrush above a ground surface.

4. In a machine for tripping blooms on growing plants comprising a frameadapted to be carried by an associated prime mover, separator platessecured to and depending from said frame and disposed substantially inplanes which are uniformly spaced apart and parallel to each other andperpendicular to the plane of said frame, each rearwardly one from eachseparator plate, power operated means mounted on said frame anddrivingly connected to .said vanes to impart to said vanes oscillatingmovements about the aXes of the hinge connections between said vanes andthe corresponding separator plates; the improvement residing in meansfor collecting and dispersing pollen from the tripped blooms, said meanscomprising a material having a lamentoius surface carried by the outersurfaces of said vanes with the filamentous surfaces exposed, a brushhaving bristles extending radially therefrom mounted on said frame forrotation about an axis extending transversely of said separator platesadjacent the ends of the vanes remote from said separator plates toengage and brush across said filamentous surfaces on 8 said vanes, andmeans drivingly connected between said vane driving means andvsaid brushto impart rotary movement to the brush; and means carried by said frameat the Vend thereof remote lfrom the associated prime mover for movementin parallel arcuate paths at opposite sides of the frame and operativelyconnectedv to said brush to selectively move the brush toward and awayfromsaid vanes, and means carried by said frame and operativelyconnected to said brush driving means for selectively adjusting theheight of said brush above a ground surface.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,866,219 Nielsen July 5, 1932 2,257,036 Clark Sept. 23, 1941 2,684,555l Kantack July 27, 1954 2,749,664 Chepil June l2, 1956

